The U.S seizure of Venezuelan oil and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026, have sparked a renewed push for Alberta to build an oil pipeline to Canada’s West Coast to export oil to the international markets. 

Premier Danielle Smith on Monday called for the expedited development of new Canadian oil pipelines, citing a new sense of urgency.

Smith argues that the U.S. military’s seizure of Venezuelan oil reserves for exploitation by American oil majors underscores the urgent need for Alberta to secure new export markets, a shift in decades-long reliance on the U.S market. 

"Recent events surrounding Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro emphasize the importance that we expedite the development of pipelines to diversify our oil export markets," Smith said in a formal statement following the U.S raid on Caracas ordered by Trump to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. 

Following the raid, President Trump stated that Washington’s objective is to secure the South American nation’s oil reserves for exploitation by American firms, a move that has sent shockwaves through global energy markets

Smith’s administration is currently working under a November framework agreement with Prime Minister Mark Carney to clear a path for a potential Indigenous co-owned bitumen pipeline by dismantling several federal environmental policies, most notably the British Columbia tanker ban.

The pact requires Alberta and the federal government to agree on an industrial carbon price by April 1, with a formal pipeline proposal due to Ottawa's Major Projects Office by July 1. 

Smith said her government is moving quickly to meet those targets and expects the federal government to move forward "with urgency."

"Alberta supports building pipelines in all directions to get our product to market," Smith said, adding that she looks forward to continuing work with provincial and federal partners to advance these projects.

While industry experts suggest the geopolitical shift strengthens the case for a Pacific-bound pipeline, the news weighed on Canadian energy stocks on Monday, with the TSX energy subindex dropping more than 3% as shares in major oilsands producers faced significant selling pressure.